Apparatus for feeding cartons from a magazine



A ril 23, 1963 w. H. VOGEL 3,036,772

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CARTONS FROM A MAGAZINE Filed Nov. 7, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR: WALTER H. VOGEL ATT'YS A ril 23, 1963 w. H. VOGEL APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CARTONS FROM A MAGAZINE Filed. Nov. 7, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A ril 23, 1963 w. H. VOGEL 3,086,772

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CARTONS FROM A MAGAZINE Filed NOV. 7, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 58 INVENTOR: WALTER H. VOGEL ATT'YS April 23, 1953 w. H. VOGEL 3,086,772

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CARTONS FROM A MAGAZINE Filed Nov. 7, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 'llilillllllllllll'z IIIIIIIIIIIHII" 3 1 78 INVENTOR:

WALTER H. VOGEL ATT'YS APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CARTONS FROM A MAGAZINE Filed Nov. 7, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. I4

INVENTOR: WALTER H. VOGEL BY/WIMWQJ ATT'YS United States Patent 3,086,772 APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CARTONS FRQM A MAGAZINE Walter H. Vogel, Earrington, 111., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Crompton & Knowles Corporation,

Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Nov. 7, 1961, Ser- No. 150,823 6 Claims. (Ci. 271-35) This invention relates in general to an apparatus for feeding cartons from a magazine, and more particularly to an apparatus for successively feeding cartons one at a time from the bottom of a stack of cartons held in a magazine.

Heretofore, many apparatuses for feeding cartons in flattened condition from a magazine have been developed, all of which have had deficiencies and which are limited to operational speeds.

The carton feeding apparatus of the present invention is capable of high speed operation necessitated by new and advanced methods of manufacture, and also overcomes many of the difficulties heretofore encountered in such magazine feeding mechanisms.

The apparatus of the present invention will be described in connection with the feeding of flattened cartons from a magazine, but it should be understood that the invention is just as applicable for the feeding of flattened sleeves from a magazine. Thus, use of the word carton is meant to embody sleeves or other equivalent structures.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for feeding cartons one at a time from a magazine under high speed conditions, and in timed sequence.

A further object of the present invention is in the provision of an apparatus for feeding cartons one at a time from a magazine, wherein the apparatus is simply and economically constructed.

A still further object of this invention resides in the provision of an apparatus for feeding cartons one at a time which is capable of having a wide range of adjustability to handle several sizes of cartons.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for feeding cartons one at a time from a magazine holding a stack of cartons, wherein the apparatus has a positive action and is not aifected by differences in thickness of cartons, warpage and other manufacturing tolerances.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carton magazine and the apparatus of the present invention for feeding cartons from the magazine one at a time;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a carton in flattened,

condition;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view, somewhat fragmentary, of the cartoning separating and supporting mechanism arranged at the front part of the magazine;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view :of the magazine and apparatus for feeding the cartons from the magazine, with some parts in section, and taken substantially along line 4-4- of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4A is an enlarged fragmentary view of a modification of the rear guide means, wherein a lug is provided at the lower end of the guide means;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially along line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6-13 are side elevational views of the magazine feeding mechanism and illustrating the sequential operation thereof; and

3,086,772 Patented Apr. 23, 1963 FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the feeding mechanism and taken through the magazine to also illustrate the range 'of carton size capable of being handled by the feeding mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-5, the apparatus of the present invention includes generally a magazine 15 for holding a stack of cartons 16, an endless conveyer 17 arranged beneath the magazine for supporting the trailing edge of the stack of cartons, a carton separator 18 for separating the lowermost carton from the next lowermost carton and supporting the next lowermost carton and the stack, a carton supporting means 19 for selectively supporting the lowermost carton and the stack at the leading edge thereof during part of the cycle of operation, and means for engaging the trailing edges of a plurality of the lowermost cartons to arrange them in stepped relationship and thereby function as a bumper or locator as identified by the numeral 20.

A carton 21, FIG. 2, is exemplary -of the type that may be arranged in the stack '16 and fed from the bottom of the magazine. However, it should be appreciated that other types of car-tons or sleeves may also be handled by the magazine and feeding apparatus of this invention.

The magazine 15 includes a front wall or guide means 22, a rear wall or guide means 23, and opposed side walls or guide means 24 and 25. The lower portions of the walls or guide means are upstanding and substantially vertical, while the upper portions are slanted or inclined as seen particularly in FIGS. 1 and 4. In all instances, the cartons are maintained in a substantially horizontal position. An extension may be employed for the magazine which would project somewhat horizontally from the upper ends of the slanted portions for carrying a supply of cartons that are to be fed to the magazine. The magazine guide means or walls are adjustably mounted on opposed stationary mounting plates 26 and 27, FIG. 1, so that the magazine may be adjusted to receive various sizes of cartons as may be seen in FIG. 14 by the small carton 28 and the large carton 29.

The side guide means 24 and 25 are respectively adjustably mounted on parallel extending arms 30 and 31 that are, in turn, carried by brackets adjustably secured to a transversely extending mounting bar 32. This mounting bar is, in turn, adjustably secured to longitudinally extending parallel bars 33 and 34 that are secured to the stationary mounting plates 26 and 27, respectively. Additionally, the rear guide means 23, which comprise a pair of guide bars, are transversely adjustably secured along the mounting bar 32. The front Wall or guide means 22 is transversley adjustable along amounting bar 35 that is secured to the stationary mounting plate 27 by spacing bars 36. Thus, the rear guide means 23 and the side guide means 24 and 25 may be adjusted longitudinally toward or away from the front guide means 22 by adjustably fixing the mounting bar 32 on the opposed bars 34. Further longitudinal adjustment of the side guide means 24 and 25 is possible by adjustably securing them along the arms 30 and 31. And transverse adjustment of the side guide means 24- and 25 and the rear guide means 23 is accomplished along the mounting bar 32. Further, the front wall 22 may be adjustably mounted along the bar 35.

As seen particularly in FIG. 4, the lower end of the front wall or guide means 22 is bifurcated and extends below the lower end of the rear guide means 23, thereby placing the flattened cartons on somewhat of an incline and downwardly from the rear guide means.

The cartons are fed one at a time from the bottom of the magazine and accordingly must be successively separated from the stack. In order to facilitate separation, a plurality of the lowermost cartons are arranged in stepped relationship with each other with the leading edge of the lowermost carton projecting ahead of the leading edge of the next lowermost carton as may be seen particularly in FIGS. 413. I

The stepped relationship of the lowermost cartons is accomplished by action of the bumper or locator 20 and the configuration of the lowermost portion of the front wall or guide means 22. As may be seen quite clearly in FIGS. 3 and 7, a downwardly and forwardly inclined face 37 is defined which terminates short of the outside surface of the front wall and merges with a short vertical face 38 that extends to the bottom 39. The bottom 39 is substantially normal to the vertical axis of the front wall lower portion. As seeen especially in FIG. 7 and other figures, the leading edges of the cartons engage the inclined face 37 and are arranged in stepped relationship with each other. 7

While the lower end of the front guide means provides a guide or form against which the cartons may engage to take the stepped relationship, the bumper or loca-tor Zt) serves to urge the lowermost cartons into the stepped relationship and to engage the form defined by the inclined face 37. This bumper includes one or more bars or plates 40 having an inclined carton engaging surface 41 arranged to engage the trailing edges'of a plurality of the lowermost cartons in the stack. Means is provided to reciprocate the bar 41 toward and away from the trailing edges of the lowermost cartons and which includes a transversely extending mounting rod 42 upon which the bar or bars 41 may be secured. This mounting rod extends along the back lower corner of the magazine and is adj ustably secured at one end to a crank 43 that is pivotally suspended from a shaft 44, FIG. 4, which is mounted on the rear mounting bar 32. Reciprocation of the crank 43 and the bumper 20 is accomplished by rotation of a shaft 45 that extends transversely and below the magazine. A crank 46 is secured to the shaft 45 and rotated thereby, and the crank is connected to the crank 43 by means of a link 47. Thus, rotation of the shaft effects reciprocal movement of the bumper 2tl.

The shaft 45 is driven from-a main shaft '48 through a sprocket 49 mounted on the latter shaft and a sprocket 54 mounted on the shaft 45 and a drive chain 51 trained over the sprockets. The main drive shaft 48 may be driven from any suitable power source and through the chain and sprocket arrangement 52. Thus, the shafts 45 and 48 are driven in timed relationship with each other.

The stack of cartons 16 is supported in the magazine at the rear thereof by the endless conveyer 17 which in the present invention takes the form of a center belt 53 and apair of laterally spaced belts 54 and 55. Below and slightly back of the magazine is an idler shaft 56 having mounted thereon an elongated idler pulley or roller 57 about which each of the belt '53, 54 and are trained, while the shaft 48, which is arranged below and ahead of the magazine, has mounted thereon pulleys 58, 59 and '66 about which are respectively trained the belts 53, 54 and 55. The pulleys 58, 59 and 60 are adjustably secured along the shaft 48 so'that the belts 53, 54 and 55 may also be transversely adjust-able below the magazine 15, and the belts are driven by the shaft 48. Any one or more of the belts may be employed at any time depending upon the needs and size of the cartons being fed from the magazine. However, the center belt 53 is preferably wider than the end belts 54 and 55 and serves to support the bulk of the weight of the stack of cartons. The portio'ns' of'the belts that 'pass beneath the front wall 22 are spaced downwardly therefrom to provide an opening in the magazine to which the cartons may be fed one at a time, and except during the feeding procedure, the leading edge of a lowermost carton is held upwardly to engage and be stopped from movement out of themagazine by the front wall 22, and particularly the vertical face 38 as seen in FIG. 7.

Alternatively, the trailing edge of the lowermost carton and the rear of the carton stack may be supported above the endless c-onveyer 17 by a plurality of lugs 23a extending inwardly from the back wall of the magazine. More particularly, a lug 23a would be provided at the lower end of each of the guide means 23. This modification is shown in FIG. 4A. By supporting the trailing edge of the cartons above the belts, any possible marking or smearing of ink on the lowermost carton due to running of the belts while no carton is being discharged from the magazine is avoided.

In removing a carton from the magazine, the separator 18 functions to separate the lowermost carton from the next lowermost carton against the bottom of a stack, and so the carton supporting means can then function to lower the lowermost carton onto the endless conveyor 17 so that it may be taken from the magazine below the front wall or guide means 22.

The separator 18 comprises a Wedge-shaped member or finger 61 that may be referred to as a wedge, and which is adjustably mounted on a transversely extending rod 62,. The wedge 61 may be adjust-ably fixed rotationally of the rod 62 or adjustably mounted therealong between the opposite ends, but will be mounted so that the longitudinal axis of the wedge aligns with and is arranged over the center belt 53. The wedge mounting rod 62 is secured at opposite end-s to arms 63 and 64 which are pivotally mounted along a common axis to the mounting plates 26 and 27. The pivotal axis common to the arms is designated by the numeral 65 and is positioned between the front and back walls of the magazine and above the bottom of the magazine so as to impart a prescribed reciprocating motion to the wedge 61 by rocking of the arms 63 and 64 about the axis 65. This motion as to the working end of the wedge which engages the leading edges of the cartons constitutes a resultant downward and rearward movement in separating the lowermost carton from the next lowermost carton and forcing the engaged portion of the lowermost carton downwardly toward the belt 53. Preferably the wedge is arranged to engage a central area between the opposite ends of the cartons and thereby bows this central portion of the carton downwardly toward the belt. During the initial movement of the wedge, the lowermost carton is supported at portions on opposite sides of the bowed portion, FIG. 5, by the carton supporting means 19 which is defined by a pair of segmental disks 66. These disks are mounted for rotation on the shaft 45 but are adjustably secured thereto so that they may be rotated or moved along the shaft during adjustment of the feeding apparatus.

The wedge 61 is reciprocated by a crank 67 carried on the main shaft 48 which is connected to the arm 63 by means of a link 68. The link 68 is pivotally connected at one end to the crank and at the other end to the arm 63. As may be seen particularly in FIGS. 3 and 14, the lower bifurcated end of the front guide means 22 includes fingers 22a and 22b which are arranged within the pair of spaced disks 66, also as seen in FIG. 5, and that the wedge 61 is movable between the spaced fingers 22a and 22b of the front wall 22. Further, the belt 53 is aligned along its longitudinal axis with the longitudinal axis of the wedge.

The sequential operation of the feeding mechanism which involves the timed movement of the wedge 61, segmentdisks 66, and the bumper bars 40 may be observed in FIGS. 6 to 13. Starting with pages 6 and 7, it is noted that the wedge 61 is positioned above and in front of the leading edge of the lowermost carton 21a, while the supporting disk 66 are positioned with the high side in supporting engagement with the lowermost carton 21a to hold it above the belt 53 and with the leading edge engaging the vertical face 38 of the front wall 22. With'the parts in this position, the cartons cannot be removed from the magazine. The wedge 61 then moves inwardly and downwardly as the disks 66 continue to rotate until the wedge and disks attain the positions shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. In this position, the wedge 61 has engaged-theleading edge of the lowermost carton 21a,

and separated a portion of this carton from the next lowermost carton 21b. Additionally, the wedge has pushed the engaged portion of the lowermost carton 21a down onto the belt 53 and even depressed the belt 53 downwardly. As seen in FIG. 5, the supporting disks 66 are arranged to support the lowermost carton 21a :at portions on the outside of the front wall fingers 22a and 22b and outside of the edges of the belt 53, while the wedge 61 hows the center portion of the lowermost carton downwardly and onto the belt 53. It may be noted in FIGS. 8 and 9 that the high port-ions of the disk 66 has advanced but that it is just barely supporting the leading edge of the lowermost carton.

When the disks 66 rotate to align a low point thereof along the underside of the lowermost carton 21a as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the opposite portions which were in engagement with the lower end of the front wall fingers 22a and 22b will have been lowered below the fingers and onto the belt so that the lowermost carton 21 is free to move beneath the front wall 22 and along the endless conveyor and the belt 53. As seen in FIGS. 10 and 11, the wedge 61 has completely separated the lowermost carton 21a from the next lowermost carton 21b and has forced the lowermost carton onto the moving belt 53 while still functioning to support the next lowermost carton 21b in the magazine and behind the lower end of the front wall fingers 22a and 22b. And the segment disks 66 have rotated to drop the remaining portions of the lowermost carton 21a onto the belt 53 so that the lowermost carton can be delivered beneath the wedge 61 and the lower end of the front wall 22 and out of the magazine. In order to enhance the frictional contact between the lowermost carton 21a and the belt 53, and assure positive feeding of the carton from the magazine, a soft rubber roller 69 is employed beneath the belt and in alignment with the movable Wedge 61. This roller is mounted on the shaft and rotatable therewith. The wedge 61 remains in the position shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 to support the next lowermost carton 21b until the segmental supporting disks 66 have rotated so that the high point thereof can again engage the next lowermost carton as in shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. After the wedge reaches its extreme retracted position, it will againthen be advanced inwardly to separate the next lowermost carton from the bottom of the stack and enable it to be fed therefrom. During the movements of the wedge and segmental disks, the bumper 24) will be operating to enhance the arranging of the lowermost cartons in stepped relationship so that they can be easily separated by the wedge 61.

Spring fingers 71 and '72 extend downwardly and forwardly from the front wall mounting bar 35 and have rollers 73 and 74 mounted on the ends thereof and in alignment with the auxiliary belts 54 and to apply pressure thereagainst and define holddown rollers to hold a carton against these belts as the carton is being removed from the magazine. The frictional contact with these belts is thereby enhanced. Actually the carton is driven between the belts and these rollers after it has left the magazine and then these belts also aid in feeding the carton onward. Similarly, a spring or gravity biased holddown roller 75 is provided ahead of the magazine and in alignment with the center belt 53 to give added fricional contact between the belt and the carton and thereby increase the positiveness of the delivering action of the belt. The wedge 61 serves to hold the carton against the belt for a while and until the roller 75 takes over inasmuch as the roller 75 is generally spaced from the wedge a distance less than the width of a carton. Because of the positive action of the wedge, e segment supporting disk and the holddown rollers, it is immaterial if manufacturing tolerances or warpage is present in the cartons since the feeding action will take place.

After the carton leaves a holddown roller 75, it is fed 6 between a pair of guide plates 76 and 77 and over a lug chain conveyor 78. The belt 53 and the auxiliary belts 54 and 55 continue to drive the carton forward until the trailing edge of the carton has left the grip of the holddown roller and the belt 53, and the holddown rollers 73 and '74 and the belts 54 and 55, respectively. The lug chain conveyor then takes over to advance the cartons be-' tween the guide plates 76 and 77.

The lug chain conveyor 78 includes a pair of endless chains 79 and 80 trained at one end around sprockets 81 and 82, respectively. The sprockets 81 and 82 are secured to the main drive shaft 48 and rotatable therewith. Thus, the lug chain conveyor 78 is driven in timed relation with the carton feeding mechanism from the main power shaft 48. A plurality of sets of aligned lugs are secured to the spaced chains 79 and 89 such as the lugs 83 and 84 which serve to come around the sprockets at the shaft 48 and move behind the trailing edge of the carton and advance the carton along between the guides 76 and 77 by engagement with the trailing edge thereof. Thus, the lug chain conveyor 78 pushes the cartons along the guide plates 76 and 77 after the carton has left the conveyor belt 53.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention, but it is understood that this application is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. In combination with an upstanding magazine receiving a stack of flattened cartons within upstanding front,

back and side guide means, means for successively feeding the lowermost carton from the magazine beneath the front guide means comprising,

an endless conveyer beneath the magazine having a directional path of movement from the back guide means to the front guide means, means for arranging a plurality of the lowermost cartons in stepped relation toward the front guide means of the magazine with the leading edge of the lowermost carton projecting ahead of the leading edge of the next lowermost carton, said arranging means including a bumper angularly positioned and reciprocably driven against the trailing edges of a plurality of the lowermost cartons,

means for selectively supporting a portion of the leading edge of the lowermost carton above the endless conveyer while the trailing edge thereof rests upon said endless conveyer,

means for pushing downward a portion of the leading edge of the lowermost carton onto the endless conveyer and supporting the next lowermost carton and stack in the magazine,

said pushing and supporting means including a wedge shaped member reciprocably driven inward and downwardly toward the stepped leading edges of the cartons to separate a portion of the lowermost carton from the next lowermost carton and urge it downwardly against the endless conveyer and to support the leading edge of the next lowermost carton and the stack during removal of the lowermost carton from the stack,

and means for driving said supporting means to lower the said supported portion of the leading edge of the carton onto the endless conveyer so that the carton may be delivered from the bottom of the magazine by the endless conveyor.

2. In combination with an upstanding magazine receiving a stack of flattened carton-s within upstanding front, back and side guide means, means for successively feeding the lowermost carton from the magazine beneath the front guide means comprising,

an endless conveyer beneath the magazine having a directional path of movement from the back guide means to the front guide means,

said endless conveyer being inclined from said back 4 .guide means downwardly and away from the lower end of said front guide means,

means for arranging a plurality of the lowermost cartons in stepped relation toward the front guide means of the magazine with the leading edge of the lowermost carton projecting ahead of the leading edge of the next lowermost carton,

said arranging means including a bumper angularly positioned and reciprocably driven against the trailing edges of a plurality of the lowermost cartons,

means for selectively supporting a portion of the leading edge of the lowermost carton above the endless conveyer while the trailing edge thereof rests upon said endless conveyer,

means for pushing downward a portion of the leading edge of the lowermost carton onto the endless conveyer and supporting the next lowermost carton and stack in the magazine,

said pushing and supporting means including a wedge shaped member reciprocably driven inward and downwardly toward the stepped leading edges of the cartons to separate a portion of the lowermost carton from the next lowermost carton and urge it downwardly against the endless conveyer and to support the leading edge of the next lowermost carton and the stack during removal of the lowermost carton from the stack,

means for driving said supporting means to lower the said supported portion of the leading edge of the carton onto the endless conveyer so that the carton may be delivered from the bottom of the magazine by the endless conveyer,

and means for driving said arranging means, said supporting means and said pushing and supporting means in timed relationship with each other.

3. In combination with an upstanding magazine receiving a stack of flattened cartons within upstanding front, back and side guide means, means for successively feeding the lowermost carton from the magazine beneath the front guide means comprising,

an endless conveyer beneath the magazine having a directional path of movement from the back guide means to the front guide means,

means for arranging aplurality of the lowermost cartons in stepped relation toward the front'guide means of the magazine with the leading edge of the lowermost carton projecting ahead of the leading edge of the next lowermost carton,

, said arranging means including a bumper angularly positioned'and reciprocably driven against the trailing edges of a plurality of the lowermost cartons,

means for selectively supporting a portion of the leading edge of the lowermost carton above the endless conveyer while the trailing edge thereof rests upon said endless conveyer,

said supporting means including a pair of laterally spaced segmental rollers capable of supporting spaced portions of the leading edge of the lowermost carton above the lower end of the front guide means and for lowering said portions below said lower end of the front guide means,

means for pushing downward a portion of the leading edge of the lowermost carton onto the endless conveyer and supporting the next lowermost carton and stack in the magazine,

said pushing and supporting means including a wedge shaped member reciprocably driven inward and downwardly toward the stepped leading edges of the cartons to separate a portion of the lowermost carton from the next lowermost carton and urge it downwardly against the endless conveyer and to support the leading edge of the next lowermost carton and the stack during removal of the lowermost carton from the stack,

means for driving said supporting means to lower the said supported portion of the leading edge of the carton onto the endless conveyer so that the carton may be delivered from the bottom of the magazine by the endless conveyer,

and means for driving said arranging means, said supporting means and said pushing and supporting means in timed relationship witheach other.

4. In combination with an upstanding magazine receiving a stack of flattened cartons within upstanding front, back and side guide means, means for successively feeding the lowermost carton from the magazine beneath the front guide means comprising,

an endless conveyer beneath the magazine having a directional path of movement from the back guide means to the front guide means, means for arranging a plurality of the lowermost cartons in stepped relation toward the front guide means of the magazine with the leading edge of the lowermost carton projecting ahead of the leading edge of the next lowermost carton, said arranging means including a bumper angularly positioned and reciprocably driven against the trailing edges of a plurality of the lowermost cartons,

means for selectively supporting a portion of the leading edge of the lowermost carton above the endless conveyer while the trailing edge thereof rests upon said endless conveyer,

said supporting means including a segmental roller capa'ole of supporting a portion of the leading edge of the lowermost carton within the confines of the lower end of the front guide means and for lowering said portion below said lower end of the front guide means,

means for pushing downward a portion of the leading edge of the lowermost carton onto the endless conveyer and supporting the next lowermost carton and stack in the magazine,

said pushing and supporting means including a wedge shaped member reciprocably driven inward and downwardly toward the stepped leading edges of the cartons to separate a portion of the lowermost carton from the next lowermost car-ton and urge it downwardly against the endless conveyer and to support the leading edge of the next lowermost carton and the stack during removal of the lowermost carton from the stack,

and means for driving said supporting means to lower the said supponted portion of the leading edge of the canton onto the endless conveyer so that the carton may be delivered from the bottom of the magazine by the endless conveyer.

5. In combination with :an upstanding magazine receiving a stack of flattened cartons within upstanding front, back and side guide means, means for successively feeding the lowermost carton from the magazine beneath the front guide means comprising,

an endless conveyer beneath the magazine having a directional path of movement from the back guide means to the front guide means, means for arranging a plurality of the lowermost cartons in stepped'relation toward the front guide means of the magazine with the leading edge of the lowermost carton projecting ahead of the leading edge of the next lowermost carton, said arranging means including a bumper angularly positioned and reciprocably driven against the trailing edges of a plurality of the lowermost cartons,

the lower end of said front guide means having a forwardly inclined portion to aid in arranging the leading edges of the cartons in stepped relation,

means for selectively supporting a portion of the leading edge of the lowermost carton above the endless conveyer while the trailing edge thereof rests upon said endless conveyer,

means for pushing downward a portion of the leading edge of the lowermost carton onto the endless conveyer and supporting the next lowermost carton and stack in the magazine,

and means for driving said supporting means to lower the said supported portion of the leading edge of the carton onto the endless conveyer so that the carton may be delivered from the bottom of the magazine by the endless conveyer.

6. In combination with an upstanding magazine receiving a stack of flattened cartons within upstanding front, back and side guide means, means for successively feeding the lowermost carton from the magazine beneath the front guide means comprising,

means for adjustably mounting said front, back and side guide means to enable the magazine to handle various sizes of cartons,

an endless conveyer beneath the magazine having a directional path of movement from the back guide means to the front guide means, means for arranging a plurality of the lowermost cartons in stepped relation toward the front guide means of the magazine with the leading edge of the lowermost carton projecting ahead of the leading edge of the next lowermost carton, said arranging means including a bumper angularly positioned and reciprocably driven against the trailing edges of a plurality of the lowermost cartons,

the lower end of said front guide means having a forwardly inclined portion to aid in arranging the leading edges of the cartons in stepped relation,

means for selectively supporting a portion of the leading edge of the lowermost carton above the endless conveyer while the trailing edge thereof rests upon said endless conveyer,

said supporting means including a pair of laterally spaced segmental rollers capable of supporting spaced portions of the leading edge of the lowermost carton above the lower end of the front guide means and for lowering said portions below said lower end of the front guide means,

means for pushing downward a portion of the leading edge of the lowermost carton onto the endless conveyer and supporting the next lowermost carton and stack in the magazine,

said pushing and supporting means including a wedge shaped member reciprocably driven inward and downwardly toward the stepped leading edges of the cartons to separate a portion of the lowermost carton from the next lowermost carton and urge it downwardly against the endles conveyer and to support the leading edge of the next lowermost carton and the stack during removal of the lowermost carton from the stack,

means for driving said supporting means to lower the said supported portion of the leading edge of the carton onto the endless conveyer so that the carton may be delivered from the bottom of the magazine by the endless conveyer,

and means for driving said arranging means, said supporting means and said pushing and supporting means in timed relationship with each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 995,018 Kent June 13,1911 2,332,156 Long Oct. 19, 1943 2,809,032 Krag Oct. 8, 1957 2,9 5 36 1 Lopez Aug. 8, 1961 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH AN UPSTANDING MAGAZINE RECEIVING A STACK OF FLATTENED CARTONS WITHIN UPSTANDING FRONT, BACK AND SIDE GUIDE MEANS, MEANS FOR SUCCESSIVELY FEEDING THE LOWERMOST CARTON FROM THE MAGAZINE BENEATH THE FRONT GUIDE MEANS COMPRISING, AN ENDLESS CONVEYER BENEATH THE MAGAZINE HAVING A DIRECTIONAL PATH OF MOVEMENT FROM THE BACK GUIDE MEANS TO THE FRONT GUIDE MEANS, MEANS FOR ARRANGING A PLURALITY OF THE LOWERMOST CARTONS IN STEPPED RELATION TOWARD THE FRONT GUIDE MEANS OF THE MAGAZINE WITH THE LEADING EDGE OF THE LOWERMOST CARTON PROJECTING AHEAD OF THE LEADING EDGE OF THE NEXT LOWERMOST CARTON, SAID ARRANGING MEANS INCLUDING A BUMPER ANGULARLY POSITIONED AND RECIPROCABLY DRIVEN AGAINST THE TRAILING EDGES OF A PLURALITY OF THE LOWERMOST CARTONS, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY SUPPORTING A PORTION OF THE LEADING EDGE OF THE LOWERMOST CARTON ABOVE THE ENDLESS CONVEYER WHILE THE TRAILING EDGE THEREOF RESTS UPON SAID ENDLESS CONVEYER, MEANS FOR PUSHING DOWNWARD A PORTION OF THE LEADING EDGE OF THE LOWERMOST CARTON ONTO THE ENDLESS CONVEYER AND SUPPORTING THE NEXT LOWERMOST CARTON AND STACK IN THE MAGAZINE, SAID PUSHING AND SUPPORTING MEANS INCLUDING A WEDGE SHAPED MEMBER RECIPROCABLY DRIVEN INWARD AND DOWNWARDLY TOWARD THE STEPPED LEADING EDGES OF THE CARTONS TO SEPARATE A PORTION OF THE LOWERMOST CARTON FROM THE NEXT LOWERMOST CARTON AND URGE IT DOWNWARDLY AGAINST THE ENDLESS CONVEYOR AND TO SUPPORT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE NEXT LOWERMOST CARTON AND THE STACK DURING REMOVAL OF THE LOWERMOST CARTON FROM THE STACK, AND MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID SUPPORTING MEANS TO LOWER THE SAID SUPPORTED PORTION OF THE LEADING EDGE OF THE CARTON ONTO THE ENDLESS CONVEYOR SO THAT THE CARTON MAY BE DELIVERED FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE MAGAZINE BY THE ENDLESS CONVEYER. 